Material compacting device



Feb. 22, 1966 H. G. MILLER 3,236,164

MATERIAL COMPACTING DEVICE Filed May 29, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 771M275 an Feb. 22, 1966 H. G. MILLER MATERIAL COMPACTING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1961 Feb. 22, 1966 Filed May 29, 1961 MATERIAL COMPACTING DEVI CE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O M 3,236,164 MATERIAL COMPACTING DEVICE Harold G. Miller, Racine, Wis., assignor to Racine Hydraulics & Machinery, Inc a corporation of Wisconsin Filed May 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,112 iCiairns. (Cl.94-49) This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application, United States Serial No. 93,119, filed March 3, 1961, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a material compacting device, and more particularly to a self-contained portable compactor.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved self-contained portable compactor.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved self-contained portable compactor having a supporting and guiding handle mounted for rotatably free up and down movement to dampen the transmission of vibration and shock from the tamping action to an operator holding the handle While preventing relatively sidewise movement between the frame and the handle to cause the frame to immediately turn in response to a turning force on the handle.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved self-contained portable compactor having a frame and a tool mount mounted on the frame for movement in a predetermined path, a handle for guiding the frame and vibration dampening means mounting the handle on the frame for movement of the handle in a plane generally parallel to a path of movement of the tool mount to dampen the transmission of shock and vibration from the tamping action to an operator holding the handle and for substantially preventing movement of the handle transverse to the plane of movement of the handle and the path of movement of the tool mount to cause the frame to immediately turn in response to a turning force on the handle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved self-contained portable compactor having a vibratory tool mount and a motor for driving the tool mount both mounted on a frame, and a fuel tank for the motor with vibration dampening means mounting the fuel tank on the frame.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved self-contained portable compactor wherein a frame has mounted thereon a vibratory tool mount and a motor for driving the tool mount, a fuel tank for the motor and a bracket rigidly attached to the frame with at least one resilient pad securely attached to the bracket and to the fuel tank to reduce the transmission of vibration from the tamping action to the fuel tank.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved self-contained portable compactor having a frame, a tool attached to a vibratory tool mount mounted on the frame, with a handle for guiding the frame, and motivating means mounted on the handle and frame for reducing transmission of vibration and aiding movement of the frame and tool across the ground.

Still another object is the provision of a new and improved self-contained portable compactor having a frame, a tool on a vibratory tool mount mounted on the frame for movement in a predetermined path, a motor mounted on the frame for driving the vibratory tool mount, a fuel tank for the motor with vibration dampening means mounting the fuel tank on the frame, a handle for guiding the frame with vibration dampening means mounting the handle on the frame for movement of the handle in a plane generally parallel to the path of movement of the tool mount and for substantially preventing movement of Patented Feb. 22, 1966 the handle transverse to this path so that movement of the handle transverse to the path of movement of the tool mount results in similar movement of the frame, and motivating means mounted on the handle and frame aiding in movement of the frame and tool across the ground.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the compactor of this invention, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the compactor, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the compactor, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of a fuel tank mounting assembly of the compactor;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a motivating assembly of the compactor; and,

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the motivating assembly, with parts broken away for clearer illustration.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described in detail one specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invent-ion to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a self-contained portable compactor for tamping earth and similar material. A vibratory tool mount is reciprocally mounted on a frame and is vibrated by an engine also mounted on the frame. Fuller utilization of engine horsepower in vibrating the tool mount is provided by resilient means in the tool mount drive. Positive guiding of the compactor across the surface being tamped is provided by a handle secured to the compactor by means for dampening the transmission of shock and vibration from the tool mount to an operator holding the handle. In order to more easily move the compactor across the surface being tamped, motivating means is provided for propulsion of the frame across the surface in response to vibration of the tool mount. To assure a continuous supply of fuel to the engine and to retard undue agitation of the fuel, vibration dampening means mount the engine fuel tank on the compactor.

Referring to the drawings, a compactor frame 10 provides guide means for reciprocally and non-rotatably mounting a tool mount 11 which extends downwardly from the frame and has rigidly and detachably secured thereto, as by bolts, a tool in the form of a compacting shoe 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the guide means is in the form of a downwardly extending guide member 13 having an elongated rectangular hollow which slidably receives a cooperating rectangular portion of the tool mount 11 with a snug sliding fit. Also reciprocally and non-rotatably mounted in the guide member 13 is a drive piston 14 having a portion with a rectangular configuration cooperating with and received in-the rectangular hollow of the guide member with a snug sliding fit.

Means for imparting vibratory motion by rapidly reciprocating the tool mount in an upright path, defined by the guide means, responsive to reciprocal movement of the drive piston 14 is provided by resilient means connected in the tool mount drive, and here in the form of a pair of spring assemblies 15. Each spring assembly 15 includes one of a pair of opposed apertured ears 16 integral with and extending outwardly from the drive piston 14, and spaced therefrom one of a pair of apertured ears 17 integral with and extending outwardly from the tool mount 11. Each spring assembly also includes a nested set of spiral compression springs 18 having opposite ends seated on adjacent surfaces of opposed drive piston ear 16 and tool mount car 17. A second set of nested spiral compression springs 19 of each spring assembly have opposite ends seated on the lower face of tool mount car 17 and a washer 20. Each spring assembly 15 is maintained assembled with the springs 18 and 19 under compression by a rod 21 extending through the apertures in ears 16 and 17 and through a hole in the washer 20, with nuts 22 on threaded ends of each rod 21 tightened against the drive piston car 16 and the washer 20. Thus, as the drive piston 14 reciprocates in the guide member 13 reciproca'l vibratory motion in an upright path defined by the guide member 13 is transmitted to the tool mount 1]..

Suitable drive means are provided Within a chamber portion 23 of the frame 10 for reciprocating the drive piston 14 responsive to operation of a suitable motor 24. In the preferred embodiment the motor is rigidly mounted on the frame 10. The drive means, which are not shown, may be of any suitable type, but in the preferred embodiment they include a centrifugal clutch between the motor output shaft and a drive shaft mounting a pinion for driving a larger bull gear mounted on a crank shaft having offset crank means rotatably connected with one end of a connecting rod, the other end of the connecting rod being pivotally mounted to the top of the drive piston 14. A fuel tank 25 provides fuel for the motor through a fuel line 26.

To avoid undue agitation of the fuel in the fuel tank and to assure an uninterrupted fuel supply to the motor, vibration dampening means are provided mounting the fuel tank 25 on the frame it Herein these means are in the form of a bracket 27 firmly secured to the frame 19 in any suitable manner as by bolts 28 passing through apertures 29 in upright flanges 30 and 31 of a rigid body 32 of the bracket 27 and threadedly received in cooperating threaded apertures in the frame 10. Extending outwardly from the rigid bracket body 32 in opposite directions are generally horizontal flanges 33 and 34. These flanges are integral at inner ends with the rigid bracket body 32 and extend freely outwardly therefrom, and are slightly resilient for aiding in absorbing vibration. An aperture 35 is provided in each horizontal flange 33 and 34. Each aperture receives a first, downwardly extending threaded stud 36 embedded at one end in a resilient pad 37 and tightly secured to the respective horizontal flange 33 or 34 by a nut 38. Each resilient pad has a second, upwardly extending stud 39 with an end embedded therein and separated from the first stud 36 by a portion of the resilient pad 37. Each upwardly extending stud 39 is received in an aperture in a horizontal Web 40 of one of a pair of fuel tank saddles 41, and these webs are each firmly secured to the top face of the respective resilient pad 37 by a nut received on the upper threaded stud 39. Fuel tank 25 is tightly seated in opposed forks 42 of the saddle 41 and is securely clamped therein by a band 43 passing through slots 44 in each fork 42 and encircling the fuel tank. Resilient pads 37 may be of any suitable material such as rubber or the like.

Means for guiding the compactor shoe 12 over the terrain are herein provided by a tubular handle 45 having a generally U-shaped portion with a bight at one end providing a gripping portion 45a, and extending outwardly therefrom in the same direction are opposed, parallel arms 46 attached to the frame 10. Secondary U-shaped grips 47 and 48 are firmly secured to the arms 46 as by welding, and extend upwardly therefrom.

Vibration dampening means are provided for mounting the handle 45 on the frame 10 for pivotal movement of the handle about a horizontal axis and in an upright plane parallel to the path of reciprocal movement of the tool mount 11, .and for substantially preventing movement of the handle transverse to the path of reciprocal movement of the tool mount. Therefore, movement of the handle transverse to the path of reciprocal movement of the tool mount 11, that is, in a substantially horizontal plane, results in similar and instantaneous movement of the frame 10 and the comp-acting shoe 12.

Herein the virbration dampening means takes the form of a pair of handle brackets 47a firmly secured to opposite sides of the frame 10 as by bolts 48a. Each handle bracket 47a has a generally rectangular slot 49 with an upright open end receiving a flattened end 50 of an adjacent handle arm 46. Flattened ends 50 have parallel opposite vertical sides snugly received between opposite sides of the respective slots 49, and upper and lower edges spaced from adjacent upper and lower face of slot 49, as shown best in FIGURE 2, to permit pivotal movement of the handle in the slots. Hinge pins 51, which are generally normal to the path of reciprocal movement of the tool mount, extend outwardly in opposite directions through aligned apertures in brackets 47a and the flattened end portions 50 of the respective arms 46. Thus, the handle 45 is pivotally mounted to the frame It) for rotary movement about a horizontal axis and in an upright plane, and is firmly held against movement in a generally horizontal plane transverse to the path of reciprocal movement of the tool mount 11. Such pivotal movement is effective to substantially retard the transmission of vibration from the frame 10 to the handle 45 while permitting instantaneous turning response of the frame when the handle 45 is moved horizontally which is important particularly when working in material such as mud or the like.

A stop plate 52 is firmly secured to the frame 10 on one side of the compactor as by bolts 53 secured to the motor body 24 which is in turn firmly secured to the frame 10. The stop plate extends upwardly and outwardly and has return portion 53a at its upper end for receiving an adjacent handle arm 46 to relieve stress on the handle bracket 47a by limiting upward movement of the handle at a point distant from the hinge pin 51, when carrying the compactor. If desired, a second stop plate may be provided on the opposite side of the frame.

Means for more precisely limiting pivotal movement of the handle 45 is provided by adjustable abutments extending into each of the bracket slots 49 for engaging upper and lower edges of the flattened arm ends 50. In the preferred embodiment these abutments are in the form of bolts 54 threadedly received in opposed apertures extending through the Wall of the respective bracket 47a so that the end of each bolt 54 may be adjusted to provide the desired degree of pivotal movement of the handle 45. Suitable lock nuts are provided on the bolts 44 for maintaining the bolts in the desired adjusted position.

Referring to FIGURES 5 and 6, motivating means is provided for improving movement of the frame 10, and more particularly compacting shoe 12, forwardly across the surface being tamped, in response to operation of the compactor and more particularly to vibration of tool mount 11 along its path of reciprocal movement. In the preferred embodiment this means is in the form of a motivating spring assembly 60, which also tends to reduce any transmission of vibration from the machine to the operator.

Spring assembly 60 has cooperating spring seats including a first spring seat 61 rigidly connected with the righthand handle arm 46 and having downwardly opening socket 62. A second spring seat 63 rigidly connected with frame 10 has a deep upwardly opening socket 64 underlying socket 62 and aligned therewith. A spiral compression spring 65 has opposite ends received in these sockets. The sockets are associated so that the longitudinal axis of spring 6 5 is generally parallel to the upright path of movement of tool mount 11 and generally normal to handle arm 46. Spring 65 provides resilient means resisting movement of handle 45 toward the spring seat mounted on the frame. As the frame oscillates upwardly from the reaction force of the compacting shoe striking the work, the spring 65 compresses. Then as the frame 10 oscillates downwardly, the force of the spring 65 assists in slightly rotating the frame in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. The spring assembly is spaced a substantial distance from handle pivot 51 and is effective to cause the compactor to walk across the surface being ramped. By gripping the handle gripping portion 45a walking movement of the compactor may be easily controlled along with guiding of the compactor.

I claim:

1. A self-contained portable compactor comprising: a frame, a mount for a tool, said tool mount being mounted on said frame for movement in an upright path; a reciprocatory means mounted on said frame for vibrating said tool mount along said path; a handle for guiding said frame; vibration dampening means mounting said handle on said frame for movement of the handle in an upright plane and for substantially preventing movement of the handle transverse to said plane and said path of movement of said tool mount, whereby movement of said handle transverse to said path results in similar and instantaneously responsive movement of said frame, said means comprising a pair of brackets attached to opposite sides of said frame, a rectangular slot in each of said brackets, the ends of the handle being fiat, said ends extending into said rectangular slots for mating engagement and a snug sliding fit therewith, hinge pins secured to said brackets and extending outwardly from said frame in opposite directions generally normal to said path of movement of said tool mount, said hinge pins each extending through respective slots and handle ends and pivotally securing said handle to said brackets; and means comprising a pair of adjustable abutments in each of said slots spaced from said hinge pins for engaging the ends in the respective slots and adjustably limiting said pivotal movement of said handle.

2. A self-contained portable compactor as defined in claim 1, and further including a fuel tank for said engine; a bracket having a rigid body; means for rigidly attaching said body to said frame; flexible flanges extending freely outwardly from said body in opposite directions; and resilient pads each securely attached to said bracket flanges and to said fuel tank.

3. A self-contained portable compactor comprising: a frame, a mount for a tool, said tool mount being mounted 011 said frame for movement in an upright path; reciprocatory means mounted on said frame for vibrating said tool mount along said path; a handle for guiding said frame; vibration dampening means mounting said handle on said frame for movement of the handle in an upright plane and for substantially preventing movement of the handle transverse to said plane and said path of movement of said tool mount, whereby movement of said handle transverse to said path results in similar and instantaneously responsive movement of said frame, said means comprising a pair of brackets attached to opposite sides of said frame, a rectangular slot in each of said brackets, the ends of the handle being fiat, said ends extending into said rectangular slots for mating engagerment and a snug sliding fit therewith, hinge pins secured to said brackets and extending outwardly from said frame in opposite directions generally normal to said path of movement of said tool mount, said hinge pins each extending through the respective slots and handle ends and pivotally securing said handle to said brackets, a spring connected to said frame and said handle for moving said frame across the surface to be compacted; and means comprising a pair of abutments spaced from said hinge spins and from said spring for engaging the handle and limiting said pivotal movement thereof.

4. A self-contained portable compactor for tamping a surface, comprising: a frame; a mount for a tool, said tool mount being mounted on said frame for movement in an upright path; reciprocatory means mounted on said frame for vibrating said tool mount along said path; a handle having a gripping portion for guiding said frame; vibration damping means mounting said handle on said frame for movement of the handle in an upright plane and for substantially preventing movement of the handle transverse to said plane and said path of movement of said tool mount, said means comprising a pair of brackets attached to opposite sides of said frame, a slot in each of said brackets, said slots having flat upright sides and upright open ends, ends of the handle extending outwardly in the same direction from said gripping portion and defining a pair of arm-s, flat sided ends on said arms extending through said slot open ends and received in said slots with adjacent slot and arm sides engaging each other with a snug sliding fit, hinge pins secured to said brackets and extending outwardly from said frame in opposite directions generally normal to said path of movement of said tool mount, said hinge pins each extending through respective slots and arm ends and pivotally securing said handle to said brackets; and motivating means for propulsion of said frame across the surface in response to vibration of said tool mount along said path, said motivating means including coo-perating spring seats, one rigidly connected with one of said handle arms and spaced from the respective hinge :pin, and the other rigidly connected with said frame, and a compression spring having opposite ends, one seated in each of said spring seats for resiliently resisting movement of said handle toward the other spring seat, said spring having a longitudinal axis generally parallel to the upright path.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,358,486 11/1920 Wilhelm 121-36 1,656,301 1/1928 Stevens 121 36 1,689,032 10/1928 Johnson 306-20 1,796,550 3/1931 Wildman 56-249 1,902,530 3/1933 Terry 12136 2,110,413 3/1938 Baily 94-48 2,141,301 12/1938 Jackson 9448 2,209,656 7/1940 Mall 94 48 2,289,247 7/1942 Davis 94-45 2,484,795 10/1949 Schofield 306 20 2,629,222 2/1953 Johnston 56249 2,737,094 3/1956 Jack-son 94 48 2,794,308 6/1957 Cavanaugh 56 249 2,902,240 9/1959 LaBelle 248 204 X 2,919,095 12/1959 Egger 248 204 2,942,589 16/1960 Wacker 94-49 X 3,109,354 11/1963 Van Kirk 94- 49 FOREIGN PATENTS 743,378 12/1943 Germany.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

BENJAMIN BENDETI, Examiner. 

1. A SELF-CONTAINED PORTABLE COMPACTOR COMPRISING: A FRAME, A MOUNT FOR A TOOL, SAID TOOL MOUNT BEING MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT IN AN UPRIGHT PATH; A RECIPROCATORY MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR VIBRATING SAID TOOL MOUNT ALONG SAID PATH; A HANDLE FOR GUIDING SAID FRAME; VIBRATION DAMPENING MEANS MOUNTING SAID HANDLE ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE IN AN UPRIGHT PLANE AND FOR SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF THE HANDLE TRANSVERSE TO SAID PLANE AND SAID PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID TOOL MOUNT, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE TRANSVERSE TO SAID PATH RESULTS IN SIMILAR AND INSTANTANEOUSLY RESPONSIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF BRACKETS ATTACHED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRAME, A RECTANGULAR SLOT IN EACH OF SAID BRACKETS, THE ENDS OF THE HANDLE BEING FLAT, SAID ENDS EXTENDING INTO SAID RECTANGULAR SLOTS FOR MATING ENGAGEMENT AND A SNUG SLIDING FIT THEREWITH, HINGE PINS SECURED TO SAID BRACKETS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID FRAME IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS GENERALLY NORMAL TO SAID PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID TOOL MOUNT, SAID HINGE PINS EACH EXTENDING THROUGH RESPECTIVE SLOTS AND HANDLE ENDS AND PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID HANDLE TO SAID BRACKETS; AND MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF ADJUSTABLE ABUTMENTS IN EACH OF SAID SLOTS SPACED FROM SAID HINGE PINS FOR ENGAGING THE ENDS IN THE RESPECTIVE SLOTS AND ADJUSTABLY LIMITING SAID PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE. 